We will be consulting primaryproducers, processors and the supermarkets on how best to ensure fresh local andseasonal produce is given adequate space and clear signage in retail outlets acrossScotland. We are keen to increase our efforts in this area.

The Scottish Government’s plansfor the efficient and effective use of existing technology are incorporated withinits corporate strategy and information and communications technology programme.

We have no such plans at present.

We will continue to work in partnershipwith NHS boards, local authorities, the voluntary sector and other partners to delivera healthier, fairer Scotland for all those with a mental health problem, and fortheir carers and families.

That work will include attentionto mental health promotion, prevention, care, treatment and supported recovery andto ensuring the earliest possible identification of need.

The Scottish Government is committedto supporting the development of early intervention in mental health and wellbeingservices.

The Strategic Transport ProjectsReview which is due to report in summer 2008 will consider the A95 as a link connectingthe Inverness to Perth and the Inverness to Aberdeen national strategic transport corridors.

The A82 Tarbet to Fort WilliamAction Plan recommended a ten year improvement programme at a cost of £90 million.The outcome of this study will feed into the Strategic Transport Projects Reviewwhich will examine the needs of our national strategic transport corridors. Thisis due to report in summer 2008.

Meantime, Transport Scotland is planninga £16 million improvement package to be delivered over the next five years. Thispackage includes improvements at Pulpit Rock between Tarbet and Ardlui, a WesternBypass at Crianlarich, additional road safety measures, new lay-bys and picnic sites.

Highland Council is currently carrying out the Inverness SouthConnectivity Study into possible improvements to the Inverness Southern DistributorRoad (ISDR), including its connections with the A9 trunk road and onwards to theA96. This study is programmed to be completed in autumn 2007. Officials from TransportScotland are working closely with Highland Council and are on the working groupto represent trunk road interests in relation to the connections between the ISDRand the existing trunk road network.

It is a matter of personalchoice on the part of the health care professional whether or not they wish towork in a remote and rural area of Scotland. Local health systems determinelocal needs and NHSScotland has a workforce planning framework in place toassist NHS boards in planning ahead for the workforce they need and the actionsthey require to take to deliver future services for patients.

A range of policies,including incentive schemes, are in place which support recruitment and retentionin remote and rural areas. Improved educational support for rural health careis being developed and implemented which will make rural training moreaccessible and attractive.

In addition; the Governmentis committed to supporting and developing Rural General Hospitals, building onthe work of the National Remote and Rural Steering Group, which will encouragehealth practitioners to work in rural areas. A core set of services to bedelivered in those areas will be published in late summer 2007.

A tripartite group made upof the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and Faculties in Scotland;NES; and the National Remote and Rural Steering Group is developing appropriatetraining pathways for doctors in remote and rural areas, including Rural GeneralHospitals. That group is also defining the skills and competencies required,scoping educational requirements, including appropriate curricula andidentifying the infrastructure for continuing professional development. TheRemote and Rural Steering Group believes that the provision of such training,tailored to the specific needs of remote and rural health services, willprovide a sustainable solution to the issue of medical workforce supply whichhas been problematic for rural areas in the past.

NHS boards and theirpartners are already making a significant investment in mental health andwellbeing services. They are using this existing investment to increase theavailability of evidence based psychological therapies and to improve uptake ofself help and social prescribing approaches to help achieve a reduction in theuse of antidepressants.

While there are costs toincreasing provision in this way there are also savings, in particular, to theprescribing budget. We have signalled our intention to reduce the use ofantidepressants and will be monitoring progress on this work to see if furtherinterventions are required to achieve our objective of a 10% reduction by 2009.

The cost of abolition will dependon the definition that is applied to “chronic conditions”, “cancer”, and “full-timeeducation or training”. We are currently considering those definitions and willadvise the parliament once decisions are taken.